Europe & Central Asia

2010

Europe & Central Asia documents by Year:

A defiant Azerbaijan rebuffs Fatullayev appeal

December 30, 2010 2:16 PM ET

New York, December 30, 2010--Azerbaijan's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected imprisoned editor Eynulla Fatullayev's motion to be freed pending his appeal of a drug conviction, the Turan news agency reported. The Committee to Protect Journalists has concluded the drug charge was falsified as a means of keeping Fatullayev in jail...

In Belarus, more newsroom raids as crackdown continues

December 29, 2010 5:22 PM ET

New York, December 29, 2010--Belarusian authorities continued their massive crackdown on critical news media on Tuesday as security agents raided offices shared by the independent weekly Nasha Niva and the Belarusian PEN Center....

CPJ demands Belarus end its assault on press

December 27, 2010 3:20 PM ET

New York, December 27, 2010--Belarusian authorities must immediately halt their assault on independent and pro-opposition news media, a crackdown that has led to unjust detentions, raids, and seizures, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. ...

Journalists held by Belarus KGB face up to 15 years in prison

December 23, 2010 10:32 AM ET

New York, December 23, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the ongoing detention and potential prosecution of Belarusian journalists Natalya Radina, editor of the pro-opposition news website Charter 97, and Irina Khalip, local correspondent for the Moscow-based independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Both are considered suspects in organizing and participating in mass...

Belarus arrests, sentences journalists in crackdown

December 21, 2010 4:51 PM ET

New York, December 21, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prison sentences handed down to journalists who reported on post-election protests in Belarus, and the anti-media rhetoric by President Aleksandr Lukashenko....

Dozens of journalists beaten, arrested in Belarus crackdown

December 20, 2010 5:29 PM ET

New York, December 20, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the violent government crackdown against journalists covering demonstrations in Minsk against Sunday's flawed presidential vote won by President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Security police have arrested at least 20 journalists and beaten at least 20 more between the outbreak of rallies...

Journalist given 15 years for espionage in Transdniester

December 17, 2010 5:05 PM ET

New York, December 17, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the 15-year prison sentence given to independent journalist Ernest Vardanian, who has been held on falsified espionage charges in the unrecognized separatist Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) since April. The PMR is commonly known as Transdniester, and broke away from Moldova proper...

Tajik journalist arrested on defamation, insult charges

December 16, 2010 5:03 PM ET

New York, December 16, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists today denounced the imprisonment in northern Tajikistan of Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, a reporter with the Dushanbe-based independent weekly Nuri Zindagi. Ismoilov was arrested in Sogd region on November 23, but the regional press first reported on the case on Monday. Ismoilov is currently being held in...

Russian court overturns Beketov defamation conviction

December 10, 2010 3:50 PM ET

New York, December 10, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists is relieved that the Khimki City Court has overturned the defamation conviction of editor Mikhail Beketov, a verdict that had been condemned in Russia and abroad. ...

Belarus media harassed in run-up to presidential vote

December 10, 2010 12:52 PM ET

New York, December 10, 2010--Belarusian authorities must stop harassing independent media outlets and journalists and allow them to cover the December 19 presidential elections without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today....